


swallow the sun

by Gummy



Category: RWBY
Genre: F/F, The time period is ambiguous, but its witchy!
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-08
Updated: 2020-01-31
Packaged: 2021-01-25 16:06:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 13,303
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21358951
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gummy/pseuds/Gummy
Summary: Blake desperately wants to be rid of a curse placed on her as a child. Yang desperately wants to impress her estranged mother. Maybe she has a crazy solution for both of them."It's less like biting off more than you can chew, and more like dislocating your jaw."Its a witch AU!
Relationships: Blake Belladonna/Yang Xiao Long
Comments: 31
Kudos: 266





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Okay so this is based on a really really old tumblr post so if you see some familiarity there, that would be why.  
I've been mulling over this particular AU over the last couple of months, constantly writing and erasing but I feel if I don't publish it now, it'll never get done. So here it is finally.
> 
> The quote in the description is from Amrit Brar's "shitty horoscope" anthologies

“Ah, dammit.” Blake cursed through her teeth as blood welled up on the tip of her thumb. The sewing needle in her kit had become worn and dull, making it hard to push through the leather of the book she was rebinding. She quickly drew her hand away so the blood wouldn’t dribble on the crumbly, yellowed pages. It was an ancient medical textbook one of the professors in town had asked her to fix, paying her a modest sum of a few coins in exchange for the work. The thread had been weak and frayed and many of the pages had come loose from the binding. It was clearly going to be more work than what Blake had been paid, but she didn’t complain. It was something to do after all.

She wrapped her throbbing finger in a bandage and waited for the bleeding to stop before picking up the needle to examine it. The tip was beginning to bend sideways from being pushed through the incredibly thick cover of the textbook. Blake sighed. That was her last one, meaning she would have to travel into town and buy a new sewing kit with sturdier needles. She glanced at her little box of savings sitting over the fireplace. Nothing to contribute this time. 

The sun was still high and bright in the clouds, probably just after lunchtime. Blake gathered up her coin pouch and travel bag, counting out the exact amount she would need for the sewing kit, plus a bit extra just in case she spied something else along the way. She also grabbed her scarf, draping it carefully over her head and tying it snugly under her chin. 

Blake stepped into the garden and paused to dribble some water over her herb sprouts and vegetables growing in neat rows. Everything was so tranquil in her own secluded part of the forest and that’s just how Blake preferred it. She never had to worry about prying eyes or nosy neighbors trying to get a peek through her windows. She was utterly alone. 

Town was different. 

Vale was a bustling and busy place to live. It was rapidly expanding and the population was booming more than ever thanks to the soaring lumber industry the town was founded on. Blake’s parents owned their own tavern, The White Fang, that was filled to the brim with an array of colorful characters almost every night. Every time she stopped by to visit, her father would drop hints that they wanted Blake to move into town with them and work at the bar. And every time she had to reassure him that she was perfectly happy in the woods. 

She could never tell them that she hated Vale. 

Blake kept her head down as she walked past the town entrance. The square was bustling as usual with merchants and buyers alike. It was easy to get lost in the crowd and it was the only thing that helped Blake relax. Nobody was staring at her. Nobody paid any attention to her at all. She followed the flow of people until she ended up at the seamstress. It was a small, modest shop run by an older woman named Maria who was half blind and wore the thickest glasses Blake had ever seen. Despite her age, she was still incredibly quick with a needle and could fix a garment that had been torn to shreds with her eyes closed. 

Maria also ran the shop with her young, energetic apprentice Ruby who was incredibly fast at sewing but inexperienced and clumsy. But she was young and still learning, so Maria had more patience for her than others. As loud and boisterous as she was, Blake still liked Ruby and didn’t mind her company when she visited since Maria was quite grumpy. It was nice to have someone to balance it out. 

As soon as the bell above the door rang, Ruby was up out of her seat. “Blake!” 

She rushed forward faster than humanly possible and had Blake wrapped in a tight hug before the door could even slam shut behind them. 

“Hello Ruby,” Blake said politely, “It’s nice to see you.”

“You haven’t come by for tea in forever,” Ruby whined, “And don’t lie about being busy!” 

“I  _ have  _ been busy,” Blake laughed softly, “You know books don’t bind themselves.” Ruby huffed but couldn’t hide her pleased grin. 

“Wait here, I’ll go put on some water!” Ruby said excitedly, “We just got some tea imported from Menagerie that tastes like sweet berries!” 

Blake had to stop herself from wincing at the name of her home village, instead she smiled pleasantly as Ruby rushed into the back of the shop. 

“I thought I heard Ruby shout your name.” Maria said in her usual brisk tone as she came limping down the wooden staircase, “Nearly gave me a damned heart attack.” 

“Hello Maria,” Blake said. Maria motioned towards the table with her cane. 

“What brings you in today?” She asked, gazing at Blake over the rims of her thick glasses. Her eyes were a cloudy silver, much like Ruby’s, and Blake often wondered if they were related. 

“I need a new sewing kit.” Blake said, “The textbook I’m mending had a thicker spine than I was expecting.”

Maria hummed and nodded, “I think that can be arranged.” 

“If you have any thicker needles that would be appreciated.” 

Maria didn’t answer, studying Blake intensely with her piercing gaze, “Have you considered my offer at all?” 

Blake’s father wasn’t the only one trying to convince her to move out of the forest. 

“I don’t think now is a good time.” Blake said, averting her eyes towards the kitchen where Ruby was bustling about, “I’m content where I’m at now.” 

It was half true at least. Blake had to admit to herself that she did get lonely sometimes but it was often a fleeting feeling. Moving to an overcrowded village wouldn’t fix that. 

“You’re talented with a needle.” Maria continued, “And you know Ruby absolutely adores you.” 

“Your offer is generous,” Blake said diplomatically, “But right now I think it’s best for me to stay where I am. I’m happy there.” 

“Sometimes I can’t tell who you’re trying to convince,” Maria said, “But the offer still stands.” 

“Tea!” Ruby loudly announced, holding a tray laden with cups and a steaming teapot. They wobbled dangerously as she walked over to the table a little too fast. 

“Slow down for once!” Maria snapped at her, finally turning her attention away from Blake, “You’re going to spill hot water on someone!” Ruby grinned and shrugged off Maria’s words, passing a cup to each of them. She carefully poured the brownish-red tea into each cup, leaving enough space for milk and sugar if one desired. 

Blake recognized what kind of tea this was. Smelling it made her pulse jump in her throat as she thought of villagers pelting her with rocks. She tried to hide the shaky grip she had on the cup. That wasn’t the memory she wanted to associate with a tea from her hometown. 

“Do you like it Blake?” Ruby asked, eyes wide and expecting. She had already drained half of her cup. Blake took a small sip, forcing the anxious part of her brain to be quiet. It tasted pleasantly sweet and flowery, reminding her of rainy days spent with her mother by the fireplace. That’s what the tea should’ve tasted like in the first place. 

“It’s very good.” Blake said, “Doesn’t need sugar at all.” But she already knew that of course. 

“Why did you put four cups out?” Maria asked, eyeing the extra mug. 

“Oh, Yang might stop by!” Ruby said, “She should’ve been here by now.” 

As if right on cue, the door banged open and a girl with wild blonde curls and a devil-may-care grin came strutting into the shop. At once, Ruby was up out of her seat, arms already wrapped around her before Blake even had time to blink. 

“Yang!” Ruby squealed, making both Maria and Blake wince in their seats, “I knew you’d come!” 

“Of course, kid.” Yang knuckled the top of Ruby’s head, “As soon as you said you had tea from Menagerie I was on my way.” 

“You mean you  _ didn’t  _ come to see your loving sister?” Ruby asked with a pout.

Yang tapped her chin in thought as if seriously considering the matter. 

“Nope.” She shrugged, causing Ruby to try and playfully tackle her.

Blake watched curiously while the two sisters bantered by the door. Yang was holding a bag of sweets high above her head where Ruby couldn’t reach them. It was odd that aside from a few similar facial features, they looked nothing alike. Yang was tall, blonde and built with thick bands of muscle whereas Ruby was dark-haired, tiny and slender. Blake couldn’t process the thought of them sharing the same gene pool.

“Hello Yang,” Maria said stiffly, her lips pursed in a disapproving manner. 

“Hey Grams!” Yang grinned, either ignoring or not noticing Maria’s icy greeting, “Good to see you’re still kicking!” 

“Of course I’m still kicking,” Maria muttered darkly under her breath, “I’m not that old.” 

“Hey Ruby, who’s your friend?” Yang asked suddenly, eyes snapping to Blake, “You’re a terrible host for not introducing me.” 

“Oh!” Ruby stopped grabbing for the sweets, “Yang this is Blake! She fixes books!” 

“Nice to meet you,” Blake stood up and held out her hand. Yang took it in a firm grip and Blake could feel the calluses underneath. “Do you work at the lumber mill?” 

“Nope!” Yang barked a laugh, “I’m kind of a wanderer. I do my own thing.” 

“Sounds like you have some interesting stories to tell,” Blake said admirably. 

Yang shrugged modestly, “Oh you know, I’ve been around.” She took a seat at the table and poured herself a cup of tea, quickly sprinkling something over the top when she thought nobody was looking. Blake could see Maria practically glaring at Yang’s mug. 

“Blake, I’m going to get your sewing kit together,” She said, quickly getting up from the table, “It might take a few minutes.” 

“Thank you Maria,” Blake said, feeling surprised by the sudden exit. She tromped up the stairs until they could hear her footsteps up above.

“Grumpy as always,” Yang said casually, taking a swig of her tea.

“What’s the beef between you two?” Blake asked curiously. She knew Maria was often bad-tempered and surly but she wasn’t known to outright hate anyone. 

“We just have some disagreements,” Yang said vaguely, glancing over at Ruby who was staring down at her empty cup, “So you bind books huh?” 

“Uhm yeah kind of,” Blake said, “Just locally. It’s mostly a repair job.” 

Yang’s eyes glittered.

“Bet you wish you were the best in the trade huh?” She asked, leaning forward over her cup, “Lots of money involved for that sort of thing.”

“Yang stop it.” Ruby said suddenly, not looking anything like her usual carefree self. Her face was more serious than Blake had ever seen it. Yang seemed to ignore her sister as she eagerly awaited an answer. 

“I’m not really in it for the money,” Blake said, feeling tense at the strange shift in conversation, “It’s mostly just a way to keep busy.” 

“Fair, fair,” Yang said, sitting back in her chair, “I guess if that’s enough for you then who am I to tell you differently?” 

There was a moment of silence while Yang continued to study Blake over the rim of her teacup. Ruby kept shooting nervous glances at both of them. 

“Okay, I have everything all packed together,” Maria said, stomping down the stairs with the sewing kit in her hands, “I’ll give it to you for the usual rate.” 

Blake, thankful for an excuse to get away from the tension, dropped the handful of coins into Maria’s hand and took the kit. She glanced back at the table and everything was back to the playful atmosphere it had been when Yang first arrived. They were both laughing as Ruby’s cheeks bulged with the sweets Yang had brought her. Maria quietly tsked and shook her head. 

“Well I should probably get going,” Blake said awkwardly, wanting nothing more than to be back in the solitude of her garden. Her herbs were going to need watering soon or they would wilt. 

“I’ll walk with you,” Yang said, getting up from the table, “It would be impolite to let you travel home alone.” 

“It’s fine really,” Blake said quickly, “I live up in the woods pretty far from here. It’s not on the regular path.” 

“What a coincidence, I’m heading that way myself.” Yang said, “Plus it will be dark by the time you make it home. There are robbers in the woods you know.” 

Ruby was making a playfully disgusted face behind Yang’s back. 

“I guess I could use the company.” Blake said, stowing the sewing kit in her travel bag. She said her thank you’s and good-bye’s to Ruby and Maria, making promises to visit them more often. Ruby hugged Yang tightly and thanked her for the candy, but refused to let her go until she was promised more letters or visits. Blake had a feeling Yang could easily break free from Ruby’s grip but she made the promises anyway, even crossing her heart. 

“Be very careful on the way home.” Maria muttered into Blake’s ear, “Don’t make any promises you don’t intend to keep.”

“What does that mean?” Blake whispered back. 

“Hey bookworm, we better get going if you want to be home before the sun sets,” Yang called from the front hall. 

“Just remember what I said,” Maria said darkly. Yang was holding the door open with a charming smile.

“After you, my lady.” 

\---

The sun hung low and hot in the sky, ready to make its decent behind the trees. Most of the merchants in the square had packed up and gone home which also meant most of the crowds had dispersed as well. Blake wasn’t used to being in town this late in the afternoon and felt exposed as she walked alongside Yang. A few people were staring over their way and it was enough to make Blake pick up her walking speed. She just wanted to be home. 

“What’s the rush?” Yang asked, glancing sideways, “Scared of the dark?” 

“I don’t like people looking at me. They always do.” Blake muttered, not sure why she just admitted that to a complete stranger.

The truth was, there had been a few altercations in the past with some of the local villagers. A few of them had gotten the idea that a woman living alone in the woods was something sinister. It wasn’t normal. Blake had been cornered more than once by suspicious townsfolk, demanding to know what she was hiding all the way out there in the forest. She was alone and secluded  _ and  _ unmarried so she  _ must  _ be a witch. 

Blake laughed bitterly to herself at the memory. 

Word quickly spread around Vale but nothing more. Blake had been the hot topic of whispered gossip between farmers and merchants alike. It was nearly impossible to walk through the streets without frightened glances or outright sneers in her direction. 

Yang suddenly threw her arm around Blake, pulling her close. Her first instinct was to pull away, but for some reason she decided not to. 

“What are you doing?” Blake hissed, noting the sweet cinnamon smell on Yang’s clothing. 

There was a moment where she felt a chill run from her neck down to her spine as if someone had dribbled cold water in her shirt. The sunlight seemed to flicker for a moment like a candle about to blow out. 

“What are you talking about?” Yang said breezily, “I didn’t do anything.” All of the heads turned in their direction had gone back to minding their own business. Even when they passed closely by a pair of men standing on the street corner, they didn’t nod or say hello. They continued smoking their cigars as if Blake and Yang didn’t exist. 

Neither of them spoke as they made their way to the path that lead into the forest. Yang had moved her arm off of Blake’s shoulders some time ago and now kept her hands dutifully in her pockets. The guard by the front of the village gate continued picking at the end of his sword when they passed. Though he normally had a few choice words for Blake, this time he didn’t say a word. Yang hummed softly to herself as they started up the dirt road. 

Blake peered down the long path and found it wasn’t empty. There was a friendly, yet rowdy bunch of local hunters walking in the oncoming direction. Their leader was a tall and charismatic man named Sun who was always a little  _ too  _ excited when his crew crossed paths with Blake. She was always flattered by his enthusiasm but never sought out his company when she spent time in the village. Unfortunately he was a regular at her father’s tavern and Ghira would always poke fun at the amount of time he spent talking about Blake. 

(“It always sounds like he wants to marry you.”) 

But this time, Sun and his hunting crew said nothing as they passed. Sun’s eyes stayed locked on the road ahead of him, not even moving to glance in their direction. He adjusted the dead stag on his shoulder and almost knocked Blake over when he turned to yell something at Neptune. She looked back at them over her shoulder, just in case it was just Sun trying to be funny. But he marched towards the town as if there had been nobody else on the road. 

“So,” Yang said as they finally entered into the forest, “Peaceful walk huh?” 

“I would say so,” Blake said dubiously. Yang shrugged and kept walking, saying nothing more.

There was another reason Blake didn’t like staying in Vale for too long. The forest was large and very easy to get lost in if one strayed too far from the path. At night it became increasingly harder to navigate and every snapped twig or crunching leaf sounded like oncoming danger. Luckily they didn’t have far to go, and as long as Blake kept her eyes trained on the stone path they wouldn’t have any trouble making it to her cottage. 

“You sure live in the middle of nowhere,” Yang said placidly, not at all afraid of the creeping shadows of the trees. 

“I like my privacy,” Blake replied simply. They were getting close, she could see the gate that kept the deer out of her garden. 

“Yeah I can tell,” Yang said, a strange smile was creeping up onto her lips, “I bet you really enjoyed the stroll out of Vale right?” Blake stopped walking and turned on Yang. 

“Why do you keep bringing that up like you know something I don’t?” She said, trying to keep the anger out of her voice. 

Yang’s smile only grew wider, “You mean you didn’t notice?” 

“Notice  _ what?”  _ Blake asked impatiently. Yang crossed her arms smugly as if waiting for Blake to take a guess. They stared at each other stubbornly as the last bits of sunlight faded behind the trees. 

“Nobody was looking.” Yang said in the darkness. Blake heard twigs snapping but couldn’t see any movement, “Not a single person even knew we were there.” 

“What are you talking about?” Blake asked, looking around in the black. Her eyes hadn’t yet adjusted and she could barely see her own hands in front of her face. 

“We were invisible.” Yang said right in her ear, sounding out every syllable for emphasis. Blake jumped and looked around wildly but she still couldn’t see anything. 

“Stop, this isn’t funny.” She demanded, a shake in her voice. Animals called out around them as the nightlife of the forest began to come alive. Blake wasn’t sure what kind of joke Yang was trying to pull but she had to admit that it was starting to unnerve her, especially in the darkness. 

She realized now that it had been a mistake to let a total stranger walk her home at night. This is how people ended up robbed and murdered. And Blake felt like she had blindly walked right into a trap. Yang had been incredibly vague about her profession, leaving Blake to fill in the blanks that she was probably part of a bandit gang. 

_ Oh God I am such an idiot,  _ Blake thought as she stayed frozen in place, waiting for the rest of the thieves to come bleeding out of the shadows. 

“So are you going to invite me in?” Yang asked, seeming to appear out of nowhere. Blake swallowed thickly, eyes still searching desperately for more attackers. But the only thing she heard was the forest creatures yipping and howling into the night. 

Maybe she had been wrong about the bandit gang, but Yang’s presence was still unsettling. 

“Only if you explain to me what the hell is going on,” Blake said with a scowl she knew Yang couldn’t see, “And stop being so mysterious.” 

“Fine. Lead the way.” 

Blake turned and felt along the wooden fence until her fingers brushed the latch of the gate to her garden. As soon as she stepped inside the perimeter, she felt the tension leave her neck and shoulders. She was home at last.

“Watch your step,” She warned Yang, “These herbs are rare.” There was a scoff but Yang’s footsteps sounded careful and calculated. Blake reached the front door and dug around in her pockets for a book of matches. She struck one and lit the lamp hanging by the front window. Light washed over both of them and Blake could see that Yang was smirking, making her feel slightly uneasy. She was having second thoughts about allowing her into the house. 

“Alright come on in,” Blake said, opening the door and lighting some nearby candles. 

Yang made herself comfortable at the small kitchen table, never taking her eyes off of Blake. 

“So,” She finally said after Blake had taken a seat, “What do you want to know?” 

“Well I want to know what  _ all that  _ was,” Blake said, glaring, “What do you mean we were invisible?” 

Yang’s smirk broadened, her eyebrow was quirked high up on her forehead as if about to share some big, juicy secret. She leaned far back in her chair, head high and arms crossed. 

“It means what it means,” She said, “We were invisible.” 

Blake clenched her teeth, “I told you to stop being so mysterious.” 

“That’s about as straightforward as it gets sweetheart,” 

“No, because that’s impossible.” Blake snapped. Yang’s smile upturned into something more sinister and wicked, but...still playful. The candles behind them went out and plunged the whole room back into darkness. 

“You know the impossible isn’t impossible for everyone.” Yang said. Suddenly the room filled with light as Yang’s palm was filled with bright flames, “You really were invisible, Blake.” 

Then, it hit Blake like a ton of bricks. Not a robber, not a bandit.

“You’re a witch.” 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoy!

It was a tense, quiet moment as Yang sat expectantly as if waiting for Blake’s reaction. Between the impressive build-up and reveal that she had taken the trouble to go through, Blake had to admit that she had been a little shocked to discover that the sister of sweet, innocent Ruby was a witch. A fully trained one at that. The shadows from the flame in Yang’s palm danced across her face dramatically as she became noticeably uncomfortable with the silence. For others, a scream would’ve been an appropriate reaction, but an entirely different emotion was welling up in Blake’s throat; and it wasn’t fear.

She began to laugh. 

She laughed so hard that she had to grip the back of a chair to keep from sinking to her knees as she became lost in the hysteria of such a crazy sequence of events. Yang’s face contorted into a mixture of offended to confused, and then to anger as Blake continued to laugh right in her face. The flame in her hand even seemed to fizzle as she lost her focus to utter bewilderment. 

“Wh...wha…” Yang stuttered a bit, “Why are you  _ laughing?”  _

Blake shook the rest of the giggles from her body and finally looked Yang in the eyes. Her sweet lilac pupils had darkened into a violent blood red and Blake actually felt herself shiver at the sight. Now  _ that  _ was an intimidating feature.

“Well, I was expecting something way worse.” Blake finally said, turning to grab a tea set from the cabinets, choosing to ignore how those fiery eyes made her feel. 

“Worse?” Yang asked incredulously, “What could possibly be worse than being trapped in your own home with a witch?” 

“Oh there are worse things,” Blake shrugged, “Would you like some tea?” 

“But what if I turn you into a frog or make your insides flip inside out?” Yang plowed on, ignoring her question, “Doesn’t that scare you?” The desperation in her voice was palpable. 

“I mean, if you really wanted to do that you would’ve by now.” Blake said simply, putting the water on the stove and setting out two tea cups anyway. Yang scowled and crushed her hand into a fist, extinguishing the flame and reigniting the candles around the cottage. She looked like a sulking child that was denied a treat. Blake had to admit that it was a little endearing to see her go from terrifying and intimidating to sulky and pouting. 

“Don’t you want to know why I’m here at least?” Yang asked after a moment. 

“I’m assuming you want something from me.” Blake said, taking the boiling water off of the stove and placing it on the table. There was no way that Yang had gone through all that trouble for nothing. 

“Well, let’s call it a mutual favor.” Yang said, leaning forward with that same wicked glint in her eyes. Blake had to admit that she was intrigued. She had never actually sat down and had a real conversation with a witch before and now the opportunity was sitting right across the table. 

“Okay,” Blake said after pouring the tea and sliding the cup across the table, “Let’s talk then.” Yang seemed to be vibrating with excitement as she adjusted in her seat. 

“I think we can help each other out here,” She started, taking a dramatic sip of her tea, “I’ll keep this short and to the point, I want your firstborn kid.” 

Blake inhaled sharply and felt scalding tea follow into her windpipe. She hacked and coughed roughly, eyes streaming and throat burning painfully. 

“Excuse me?” She croaked, “You want my  _ what?” _

“Your firstborn child.” Yang repeated as if it wasn’t the oddest request Blake had ever received in her life. 

“Why the hell would you want that?” She narrowed her eyes, “Is this some kind of prank?” 

“Not at all,” Yang said, “Quite the contrary, I consider this to be a serious business.” 

Now it was Blake’s turn to be bewildered. 

“You’re going to have to elaborate because I’m not quite following.” Blake said, putting aside her tea weakly. Yang looked uncomfortable for a moment, rubbing the back of her neck and looking down at the scuffed floor. 

“It’s a long story,” She said, “But the short version is that getting someone’s first born child as part of a contract is a  _ big  _ deal among witches. Like it almost never happens.” 

“Okay and…?” Blake prodded her on. 

“So I was thinking that you and me make a deal,” Yang said, “None of the usual tricks or fine print, a real and fair contract.” 

“A contract that requires me to have and give you a baby?” Blake asked skeptically, “What would you even do with it?” 

Yang opened her mouth but closed it again, “Honestly I don’t actually know.” 

“Okay okay slow down for a moment.” Blake held up her hand, “I want you to know how ridiculous this all sounds.” 

“Oh I’m sure it does,” Yang said with a grin, “Most people would’ve fainted by now from the sheer shock of it all; but clearly you have some experience with this kind of thing don’t you?” 

“I don’t have to answer that,” Blake glared at her, “I’m more confused as to why  _ me  _ of all people?” 

Yang shrugged and took another sip of her tea, “You seem trustworthy and Ruby likes you so I figured you wouldn’t screw me over.”

“Right,” Blake raised an eyebrow, “Because you’re usually the one doing the screwing right?” 

Yang only shrugged with a half-hearted smile. 

Blake’s head was practically swimming with disbelief. Three hours ago she was sitting at home sewing an ancient textbook and now there was a witch in her kitchen asking for a baby that she didn’t even have. This had to be a dream or some sort of weird hallucination. 

“Hold on hold on,” Blake said, “Where do  _ you  _ think I’m even going to get a baby?” There wasn’t exactly an army of suitors knocking down Blake’s door begging for her hand in marriage. The closest person to that would be Sun, the friendly hunter from town. But the thought of that made Blake’s stomach turn in disgust. 

“I mean, there’s got to be someone in town that’s caught your fancy right?” Yang said, winking over the rim of her cup, “You don’t have to lie to me.” 

“No,” Blake looked at the floor, “There’s nobody like that.” 

“Bullshit,” Yang said, “Someone as hot as you would have guys doing backflips in order to marry you.” 

There was another slightly awkward moment as they both processed the words that came out of Yang’s mouth, though she clearly didn’t want to elaborate. She looked like she was blushing but the lighting from the candles made it hard to truly tell. 

Blake’s hand instinctively reached up towards her headscarf but she quickly stowed it back under the table. Nobody in town trusted her, much less wanted to marry her. She didn’t understand how Yang hadn’t heard any of the rumors that had been spread behind her back. This whole idea was stupid, what could Yang possible give her in return for a child that would be considered equal value? 

Then it hit her. There  _ was  _ something Blake had always dreamed of that might make this whole crazy idea worth it. 

“Let’s say I go with this crazy idea,” Blake said quickly, “What do I get in return?” 

Yang smiled devilishly, “Anything you want, baby. I can make it happen.” The glow from the candles behind her gave the expression a much more sinister tone. Blake shivered again. Her hands trembled as she reached up and began to untie the scarf. Yang watched curiously. 

“I’ve met a witch before,” Blake said as she slowly detangled the knot, “And it didn’t end well for me.” 

She slid the scarf from her head, revealing a curtain of long dark hair and two little black cat ears. 

Yang inhaled sharply, eyes glued to the ears, “You were cursed.” 

  
  


===

It was true, Blake had been cursed. 

When she was very young, she had wandered into the forest behind her parents’ home and stumbled upon a small herb garden. The latch to the small, wooden gate had been left open and the smell of the spices were incredibly tempting. Not quite old enough to understand the concept of trespassing, Blake made her way into the garden and began ripping up the herbs much to her own delight. The neat little rows were turned into nothing more than mounds of dirt and wilted leaves. 

Little did Blake know that the garden she had destroyed actually belonged to a local witch known for her hatred of the nearby village. Many of the townsfolk had tried and failed several times to run her out of the forest but had never been successful. The ones who made it back alive were never quite the same and died shortly after. Blake’s grandfather had been one of those villagers. When he and his mob returned, their eyes were gray and unfocused as if they had been blinded. They silently went to their homes and laid in their beds, refusing food and water until they starved or dehydrated to death. 

That was long before Blake had been born and none of the villagers had tried to remove the witch since. Many had forgotten about her or were too afraid to ever mention her name again, fearing they would be cursed. However, Blake’s father Ghira was well aware of the witch residing only a few miles north of their home and always warned Blake not to wander in the woods alone. He told her frightening stories of the evil witch that ate children for lunch and that was usually enough to keep her away. 

But the forest was too much of a temptation for Blake who loved to go outside and explore. Her father’s farm wasn’t enough for her anymore and she wanted something new to discover. That is how she ended up sitting in the witch’s garden tearing up delicate herbs with her chubby fists.

And that is how Blake was cursed. 

The witch had no mercy for the crying child when she saw her prized plants lying in wilted heaps. She had traveled many weeks to the west to find them and now they were nothing more than compost. The witch lifted Blake by the collar of her shirt and looked at her tear-stained face with a cool expression. 

She looked down at the blubbering girl, wondering what a suitable punishment would be for the little garden-wrecker. Perhaps a pig snout with long, ugly tusks would teach her a lesson, or maybe she could turn her into a worm and keep her in the garden as a pet. The least she could do was keep the dirt fertile for the next batch of herbs. 

The girl looked at the witch with her round, amber eyes still wide with fear. Her lip trembled and her sleek black hair was sticking up in all directions.The girl looked like a frightened street cat caught in a corner. That’s when the witch smiled, a suitable punishment finally came to mind. Not too cruel, but cruel enough for a child that didn’t know any better. 

She placed a hand on Blake’s head, a warm sensation seemed to ooze down into her skin. The witch looked at Blake after a moment and laughed coldly, dropping her roughly into the dirt.

“Go home and be thankful I didn’t turn you into a worm,” She said, “If I see you here again I might not be so merciful.” 

In a flash of red, she was gone. 

Blake sprinted home as fast as her tiny legs would carry her, crying for her mother and father. When they came running out of the barn, Blake’s mother dropped the pail of milk she had been holding and began to scream. Ghira was speechless as his wife sobbed over their daughter who now had two little cat ears perked on the top of her head.

===

As Blake finished her story, her cat ears pressed flat against her head as she recalled the painful memory. Her parents had tried every method to remove them but they never budged. A doctor even attempted to lob them off with a scalpel but he couldn’t even make a scratch. It was almost like the flesh was made of a thick leather despite feeling soft and flexible. So she resorted to wearing the scarf and hiding them. It was all she could do. 

And it worked for a few years. Blake was able to blend in with the common townsfolk with almost no issues. Eventually her secret got out and her entire family was run out of the village by their friends and neighbors who feared Blake’s curse. 

After that fiasco, her family moved to Vale and opened up a tavern and Blake found her cozy cottage in the woods where she remained alone. 

She glanced up at Yang who was listening with an odd expression on her face. Her eyes darted between Blake’s face and her ears. She almost looked thoughtful, as if she had seen something like this before. 

“So, what do you think?” Blake said with a caustic smile, “Pretty fun story huh?” 

Yang folded her hands and sat back in her seat, the mischievous grin from before was gone, replaced by something more serious.

“It’s certainly something,” was all she said, “You mind if I take a look at them?” 

Blake nodded and took a seat at the table as Yang got up. She looked at the ears up and down, prodding them and rolling them between her fingers. Blake wasn’t sure why she was letting Yang do this, not even her parents had been allowed to touch the ears after it was discovered that was really no way to remove them. 

She would never admit that it felt nice. 

“This is...really advanced.” Yang finally said, touching a curious finger to her chin, “Nobody around here did something like this.” 

“I’m not from Vale.” Blake said quickly, “My family used to live in Menagerie.” 

Something flickered across Yang’s face almost like shock but she masked it quickly. 

“That would explain it then.” She said, abruptly turning and walking back to her end of the table. There were a few moments of heavy silence while Yang contemplated with her hands folded in front of her face. 

“So,” She said, “Do we have a deal then?” 

“You just said this was advanced magic,” Blake said doubtfully, “Is it something you can even fix  _ assuming  _ I agree to this crazy plan?” 

“Maybe,” Yang hummed, eyes glancing back up at the cursed ears, “It would take some research but maybe.” 

Blake didn’t want to get her hopes up but the idea of living a normal life and not having to duck around in the shadows was already running away with her heart. So much of her life had been wasted avoiding others but if the ears were gone…

“So if I do this,” She started, “You have to promise me there are no tricks, no fine print, nothing.” 

“I swear on my life,” Yang said excitedly, jumping out of her seat with her hand already thrusted out. 

“Not so fast,” Blake said, “I also need to know that there’s not going to be a time limit on this.” 

“A time limit?”

“You know, I still have to,” she gulped, “find someone to marry.” 

“Ah right,” Yang frowned, “Well I can’t wait around for you forever. How about a year?” 

“That’s a time limit.” Blake said with a scowl. 

“I think it’s a fair one.” 

Her hand was still out and waiting but Blake was feeling herself hesitate. Was she really this desperate to get rid of her cat ears. Willing enough to marry a stranger and give up their first child together? It didn’t seem moral or ethical by any means. When the time came to give up the baby would she actually be able to do it? There were too many pros and cons, too many factors and variables to figure out. It would be an impossible scenario to decide on in less than an hour and barely any real negotiations.

So she shook Yang’s hand. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leave a comment or kudos or don't. Either way is fine with me :)
> 
> as always you can follow me on tumblr too: gummy-the-ghost.tumblr.com


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My google history: When was the rubber stamp invented

Blake didn’t truly realize what she had done until Yang was gone and she was alone in the dim light of her home. 

A baby.  _ Her  _ baby. For a witch. In a year. 

The more Blake thought about it the more it made her stomach lurch. Would she really be able to do something like that? Yang couldn’t even tell her what the coven did with the babies they received, did they eat them? Use them for experiments? Raise them as their own? Blake shuddered at the thought of her own child being raised by witches and learning their awful craft. 

_ Yang isn’t so bad, _ her mind reminded her softly. And it was somewhat true. Blake didn’t know Yang very well (despite promising her a literal child) but she seemed relatively normal enough to blend in with polite society. And she was funny, good-looking, and could probably charm the pants off of anyone with that cheeky smile of hers. Blake grimaced and distracted herself with cleaning up the tea from earlier. She didn’t want to let those thoughts run too wild. There would be strange consequences there.

When Blake went to grab Yang’s teacup from the other end of the table, she noticed that there was a small satchel propped against the leg of the chair. She picked it up carefully and saw there was a small yellow flame insignia woven into the soft, worn leather. Clearly it belonged to Yang. Morbid curiousity struck Blake and she desperately wanted to peak inside of the bag, just to see what assortment of demented things someone like Yang would carry around. She unhooked the front and flipped the top open careful, just in case the bag was cursed. 

It was a normal travel bag. Blake couldn’t help but feel disappointed. She was expecting dragon’s blood or some kind of poisonous root meant for assassinating kings. But instead it was a mess of crumpled papers and some of the tea from Maria’s shop. Nothing worth snooping around in. Well, she would have to travel into town to return the satchel to Ruby who could give it to Yang. Blake wasn’t sure she was ready for another witchey visit so soon. It’s hard to look someone in the eyes after agreeing to such a sinful contract. 

But as Blake lay in her bed that night she couldn’t shake the image of that devilish smile from the back of her eyelids as she tried to sleep. The way that Yang’s lips creased up sideways in such a charming lopsided grin reminded Blake of the wolves her mother always warned her about. Wolves eat girls that stray too far from the right path home. 

Blake gasped and jolted up in her bed, breathing heavily as she  _ really  _ came to terms with what she’d done. 

There’s no way Yang was going to keep her end of the bargain she was a  _ witch  _ for gods’ sake. Blake had heard so many warning tales about desperate men making deals with a coven for glory and power only to be betrayed as soon as he fulfilled his end of the contract. Was she going to end up like that? Maybe Yang will find the witch that cursed Blake and let her finish the job. She would live the rest of her life as a lowly barn cat chasing mice and running from cruel children with rocks. 

“No no no.” Blake chanted, clutching her pillow to her chest and feeling like her heart was going to explode. 

She had to find a way out of this mess. 

\---

In the midst of all the chaos, Blake had completely forgotten about the reason she had gone into town in the first place. The book she had been rebinding lay forgotten by the hearth, only half finished. The professor was expecting it any day now and Blake still had so much work to do. Grateful for something to occupy her mind, she quickly got to work. The new needle she had bought from Maria sliced through the thick leather binding like butter. 

Maybe she could actually get this project finished on time after all. The sun rose and hung lightly in the noon sky as Blake got lost in the focus of her project. She was making great time as she made minimal mistakes and only got her thread tangled once. The professor could possibly even get their book back by that afternoon if Blake could keep up the pace. She smiled softly at the thought of buying a new set of books with the earnings she would make with this job. If she hurried even more she could make it to the little book shop right before it closed at sundown. 

She let herself get lost in total focus, binding and weaving until there was a knock at the door. It surprised Blake so much that her hand slipped and the needle sunk deep into the pad of her thumb. 

Blake sucked a rough breath through her teeth and ran to wrap a cloth around her throbbing finger. Deja vu was certainly setting in hard. Clutching her bleeding hand to her chest, Blake peeked through the front window to see who nearly gave her a heart attack. Blake gasped again. 

It was Yang. 

She was standing in Blake’s garden admiring the thriving succulents. The noon sunlight made her blonde curls look like a dazzling fire. Blake was hesitant to open the door on account of their last conversation and she also had no earthly idea why Yang would even be on her doorstep. 

Unless it had all been a trick. Yang had given a year for the contract but what if she hadn’t really meant it and she had come to collect her end of the bargain? Blake sunk back against the wall, heart hammering against her chest. There was no way to pretend she wasn’t home since her travel lantern was still hanging up by the door and the gate was wide open. 

Yang knocked again and Blake saw no way out of this except to just open the door and see what happens. 

She crept up to the door, instinctively reaching for her headscarf to cover her ears, then remembered she didn’t have to do that around Yang. It was a strange, bittersweet feeling of freedom. Taking a deep breath, Blake opened the door. Yang’s face immediately broke into a sweet grin and she seemed genuinely pleased that she had been home. 

“Hey!” She gave a wave and Blake noticed for the first time that Yang’s face was dusted with freckles. 

“Uh hi?” She answered back, “What are you doing here?” 

“I believe you have something of mine.” Yang said, peering past Blake into the house. The travel bag with the yellow insignia lay on the table where she had left it the night before. Blake let out an audible sigh when she realized Yang wasn’t there to turn her into a barn cat. 

“Oh yeah your bag,” She said, beckoning Yang to enter, “I was going to bring it into town with me today to give to Ruby.” Yang stepped into the shade of the cottage and immediately started sifting through the contents, pulling out a mass of objects that weren’t in there the night before. Blake watched in slack-jawed confusion as Yang reached in the small bag almost up to her elbow. 

Her eyebrows popped up in satisfaction as she seemed to have reached what she was looking for. A bottle of some sort. I was tiny with a little piece of parchment paper stuck to the side with string. Blake watched curiously as Yang popped the corked and downed the liquid in one gulp, sighed contently and stowing the bottle back into the bag. 

“Uh,” was all Blake could say. 

“My morning energy boost,” Yang explained vaguely with a sly wink. 

“I don’t want to know,” Blake decided, assuming the answer would probably be long and complicated, “Is that all you came here for?” 

Yang hummed, “I don’t know. That all depends.”

“On?” 

“On how busy you are.” 

Blake raised an eyebrow. She wasn’t really interested in getting tangled up in the affairs of a witch she had just made a life changing contract with but Yang looked excited and it was hard to say no to her puppy eyes. 

“Well I was just-” She paused as her bleeding finger gave a heavy throb to remind her that it was still injured. 

“You’re bleeding.” Yang said, striding over and taking Blake’s wrapped hand into her own, “Are you that clumsy with a needle or do I make you  _ that  _ nervous?” 

Blake scowled at her but didn’t say anything. 

“Don’t worry I have just the thing for this.” She was back to the bag, digging around in a deep space that shouldn’t be there. 

“Uh I don’t know if I’m comfortable with this,” Blake said, backing away slightly, “What are you about to do.”

“Relax it’s not magic,” Yang rolled her eyes, pulling out another small vial of clear liquid, “It’s natural I promise.” 

“I’m trusting you,” Blake said hesitantly, removing the cloth from her finger and holding it out. 

“Do you really think I’d play dirty tricks on someone I have a contract with?” Yang said with a grin. She took Blake’s finger gently and poured exactly two drops of the clear liquid into the pulsing wound. Immediately the pain ceased and the cut looked like it was days old. Blake gasped as she studied it. 

“I thought you said it wasn’t magic,” She said. 

“It’s not.” Yang shrugged, “We have way more knowledge about natural remedies than magical ones. People don’t seem to understand that.” 

“This is incredible Yang,” Blake said, “Do you know how many people this could help?” 

Yang’s face immediately darkened, “Last time we tried to ‘help people’ half of my coven was slaughtered.” 

She stowed the bottle back into the bag.

“Anyway now that you’re cured you should come into town with me.” She pepped up as if nothing had happened, “Don’t you have a book to return?” Yang glanced down at the almost repaired textbook lying on the hearth.

“Oh, gods right,” Blake sighed, remembering why her finger was wounded in the first place, “I do have to get that back to town today.” 

“Great!” Yang took a seat on the table, kicking her legs back and forth, “We can walk together!” 

“I guess that would be fine,” Blake sat down in her chair, “Just don’t be a distraction and this won’t take me long.” 

“Quiet as a mouse,” Yang whispered, “Oops, then you would eat me.” She winked and was silent. Blake turned to hide her burning cheeks and began to sew, finding it so much easier now that her finger wasn’t a bleeding, useless stump that would’ve hindered her process for days. 

Yang even kept her vow of silence. She eventually grew bored of sitting on the table and found entertainment in Blake’s garden, taking the time to admire each and every little plant growing merrily. She could hear Yang speaking softly to them through the window. 

Finally the book was done. Blake put the final inch of thread through the spine and tested its strength. Perfect. Her finishing touch was a small stamp of her initials in the front right corner of the inside cover so people knew who did the work. Not that many of the villagers were super eager to use her services. She would take what she could get. 

“Are you done?” Yang poked her head through the window. 

“Yes I’m done.” Blake said patiently, wrapping the book in some fancy paper for presentation, “I will allow you to walk me into town.” 

“Alright!” Yang whooped and disappeared back into the garden to wait. Blake gathered her travel bag and some money, making sure everything was locked up before going out into the garden. 

“Your plants are growing in well,” Yang remarked, “Are you sure you’re not a witch?” 

Blake rolled her eyes, “I’m pretty sure.” 

“Yeah otherwise you wouldn’t be stuck with animal ears,” Yang laughed. Blake’s stomach dropped as she realized that she hadn’t put on her headscarf before leaving for town. She nearly dropped the book into the dirt as she rushed back into the cottage to grab it. 

“Stupid,” She muttered to herself, “You would’ve started a riot showing up into town like that.” Tying the knot snugly under her chin, Blake exited the house once again to find Yang staring at her. 

“Man those things really get to you huh,” she said with a frown.

“I’m not trying to spend my day getting chased by torches and pitchforks,” Blake said wearily.

“That’s just a regular day for me.” Yang said with a smile, “Let’s get going.” 

\---

Blake had never had such an entertaining walk into town. Yang captivated her with fun stories about her apprenticeship the entire walk and Blake found herself genuinely enjoying herself. Apparently Yang had accidentally turned her coven leader into a sheep during one of their practice lessons and it took four people to figure out how to change her back. 

(“I spent the night as a frog.” Yang said with a wheezy chuckle.) 

The life of a witch was fascinating to Blake. As far as she could tell, many of them lived in seclusion and almost never made contact with other humans. Even large covens often had rules against their own interactions with local town and villages, mostly for their own safety. Yang had told her first hand what happened to a few members of their group that had gotten too cozy with some townsfolk who betrayed them.

Blake was insanely curious about Yang’s actual family. She had mentioned her father worked as a school teacher somewhere in Vale but never mentioned her and Ruby’s mother at all. Blake was too afraid to ask about something clearly so personal. She didn’t know Yang well enough to start prying for answers on that level. 

As they approached the entrance to Vale, Blake immediately became nervous. Despite having the comfort of company, entering the village still rattled Blake to her core. She hated the stares and whispers of patrons on the sidewalks who had heard the rumors surrounding her. 

Yang must have noticed because she threw her arm around Blake. Once again and that cold feeling trickled down her back. 

“Nobody is going to make you feel uncomfortable while I’m here,” Yang said simply and kept walking with her arm tucked securely around Blake’s waist. And it was true. Not a single person even glanced in their direction as they strode peacefully towards the college. As soon as they were alone inside, Yang moved her arm back to her side and the cold feeling vanished. 

“Thank you,” She said quietly to Yang who only shrugged as if it were no big deal.

“Ms. Belladonna,” The headmaster strode into the lobby from one of the side offices. He was a tall, beastly sized man with bushy gray hair and a beard to match it. He seemed nervous, as if even talking to Blake would have him cast out of the village. 

“Hello Professor Lionheart,” Blake greeted, taking the textbook from her travel bag, “I hope you find the work I did satisfactory.” Lionheart glanced nervously at Yang and then back at Blake. Her reached out and took the book, holding it as if it were infected with some kind of plague. 

“I will make sure this makes its way back to Professor Port, I’m afraid he was unable to retrieve it in person.” He said, “Lecture day.” 

“Did he give you the other half of my payment?” Blake asked. 

“Oh um unfortunately he did not,” Lionheart stuttered, “I’m afraid you will have to take that up with him on a later date.” He seemed to be inching back towards the stairs, still holding the textbook with a few fingers as possible. 

Blake felt her cat ears twitch in annoyance under the scarf. 

“I was promised a second half when it was completed,” She said almost desperately, “Can I go up and speak to Professor Port when the class is over?”

“No!” Lionheart said quickly, “No, you are not a student I can’t permit you into the college past this point.” 

“That’s not a rule,” Yang suddenly piped in, “What the hell are you talking about?” 

“This is my school, I am the headmaster and I make the rules,” Lionheart said with a frightened bark, “You cannot enter the campus. Good day ladies.” 

He turned his back and began to climb the stairs. 

“Oh no you don’t.” Yang growled under her breath. She made a twisting motion with her fingers and Lionheart let out a sharp yip as both of his legs gave out underneath him. He rolled down the stairs, dropping the textbook and moaning as he hit the ground. 

“Blake did one of  _ your  _ professors a job,” Yang snarled in his face, eyes glowing a hot red, “I think after working with that disgusting, moldy book she deserves some sort of payment, don’t you?” She twisted her hands again and Lionheart shouted in pain.

“Witch!” He shouted, writhing back and forth as if tied up by invisible ropes, “Witches in the college! Help me!” 

Yang rolled her eyes and snapped her fingers. Lionheart’s mouth clicked shut.

“Yang stop it!” Blake demanded, “Don’t hurt him!” Yang looked up in surprise as if she had just remembered Blake was even there. Lionheart stopped writhing but still lay as if tied up. She dipped down to her knees, getting close to his face. 

“So here’s the deal,” She said dangerously in his ear, “You and I are going to just pretend this didn’t happen. You’ve heard of the Raven of the East I’m sure?” 

Lionheart’s eyes widened even more in terror at the sound of the name. He nodded quickly, his lip trembling. 

“Good, well she happens to be my mother. So if you breathe a word about this to anyone, she’s going to be the first one to hear. Got it?”

Lionheart nodded again, looking like he was about to either faint or throw up. 

“Pay the lady.” Yang said, releasing him from his invisible bonds. He scrambled up off the ground, shaking from head to toe and hair sticking up in every direction. 

“I-I’m so s-s-sorry about the confusion Ms. Belladonna.” He stammered, barely able to speak, “H-here is your p-p-payment as promised. H-Have a good d-d-day.” He produced a bag of gold coins and dropped them into Yang’s outstretched hand. He turned slowly and began to walk towards the stairs, promptly fainting, and hitting the floor like a sack of flour. 

“Oh look, it's more than double what he owed you, how generous.” Yang said with a wink, placing the coins in Blake’s bag. She began to walk towards the exit, whistling a carefree tune. Blake looked back at Lionheart feeling guilty but she followed Yang out into the courtyard. 

It didn’t feel right. Blake watched Yang stop and take a look at some roses growing by the front fountain. Using magic to bully and intimidate is exactly why people were afraid of witches and burned them at the stake. 

“You’re slowing down Belladonna,” Yang called from in front of the gate, “Come on, there's someone who is dying to see you at your parent’s tavern!”

That got Blake’s attention. 

“What are you talking about?” She asked suspiciously. There was nobody in town that she could think of besides Ruby or Maria that would be even remotely excited to see her. 

“Don’t worry too much about it just follow me.” 

So she did. They walked through the bustling town, most people were too busy to look at the pair of them. Yang and Blake stopped walking right in front of The White Fang, her mother and father’s tavern that they had built when they first moved to Vale from Menagerie. It was much more successful than the other taverns in town due to her father’s natural knack for drink mixing a little help from the herbs in Blake’s garden. 

“Do my parents want to see me?” Blake asked curiously. Yang bit her lip as if trying to hold back a smile. 

“No, not exactly,” She said, holding open the wooden door. 

Blake gave her a strange look and walked inside. There were a few people hanging around the bar and tables, faces down in tankards of ale. But there was one person Blake recognized sitting at the bar chatting with her father cheerfully. 

It was Sun. 


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it took so long. I'm a garbage human being with a garbage brain.
> 
> Oh and just as a disclaimer there isn't going to be Blacksun in this fic so don't stress.

Blake had never enjoyed going into her parents’ tavern. Despite the cozy at-home feeling it radiated, much of the clientele were rowdy workers from the lumber mill and hunters coming to relax and brag about their own respective professions. It was perfect for someone like Ghira, who was a big and burly man himself; but for someone a little more timid like Blake, the place was a nightmare. She avoided it when she could. 

However, there was no avoiding being there now with Yang’s nefarious plans in action. 

Sun hadn’t noticed their entrance yet and for that, Blake was incredibly thankful. He sat at the bar with his elbows on the counter, sipping a dark ale nonchalantly. There was a half-empty plate pushed aside from whatever he had eaten for dinner and a few stray crumbs were left on his pants. For some reason, it immediately made Blake feel sick to her stomach. 

She rounded on Yang, ready to yell at her for being so forward, but when she turned nobody was there. Yang was gone. Blake’s nerves began to nip at her. She could clearly see what Yang was trying to get moving along. She wanted to treat Sun like some kind of suitor that she needed to seduce. Or something along those lines, she didn’t need the specifics. 

“Blake?” He had finally noticed her standing stone-still in the doorway, hands curled into nervous fists. He put his ale down so hard it splattered all over the bar and stood up so fast he knocked his stool over. He was clearly just as nervous as Blake felt. But for a completely different reason. 

Sun was handsome, his spiky blond hair and attractive features made him a hot commodity among some of the younger village girls. He was often stopped by them on the streets so they could bat their eyelashes and swoon over the dead animal slung over his shoulder. But he had never really seemed interested in anyone except for Blake. The few times she had actually stopped to chat with him, she found his blue eyes wandering up and down her body. He was still a man alright. 

“Hello Sun,” Blake forced out finally, “Is my father in?” 

She hoped that pretending to be in the pub for her father would alleviate some of the awkwardness from the air. It was practically weighing on her. 

A slightly disappointed look crossed Sun’s face but he hid it quickly, “Uh yeah he’s at the general store buying some supplies,” 

There was another awkward silence while they both struggled for something to say. 

Then Blake felt a sharp elbow dig into her side. She almost let out a loud scream but quickly realized that Yang had made herself invisible when they had both walked into the tavern together. 

“Sit with him,” Yang hissed in her ear, still nowhere to be seen. Blake gulped, forcing down an angry rebuttal she would’ve loved to yell. Sun hadn’t seemed to notice their exchange since he was staring down at his mud-caked boots. 

“May I join you while I wait for him to come back?” Blake asked through her teeth. She heard Yang heave an exasperated sigh somewhere from behind her. Blake cleared her throat and smiled. 

“Yes of course!” Sun said too eagerly, picking up his chair and pushing the plate and tankard aside to make room. He pulled out another stool and patted it with his hand. Blake had to fight the urge to roll her eyes. She knew her father would never let her hear the end of this if he had been in the room. She was thankful that he wasn’t. Yang however… 

“So…” Sun began slowly, clearly choosing his words as if he would never get another chance at this, “What brings you in?” 

Blake stared at him. 

“I was looking for my father?” Which she had just told him mere moments ago. He blushed a deep red.

“Of course of course,” He said quickly, pausing to take a big gulp from his drink, “I knew that.” 

More silence. 

“You’re supposed to be  _ seducing  _ him.” Yang hissed in Blake’s ear, making her jump again. 

“I  _ know,”  _ Blake hissed back as quietly as she could while Sun took another giant sip of his ale. She really really hated this. Forcing herself to try and flirt with Sun was like stabbing her fingers with a thousand needles while book binding. It was just plain painful. Deep down she knew it would be wrong to play with his emotions like Yang wanted her to. Marrying a man just to get rid of a curse seemed so dirty and wrong that it almost made Blake feel guilty. Maybe if she just told Sun the truth he would understand? Blake thought of the torches and pitchforks and quickly buried the idea deep down. 

Would someone as transparent as Sun know that she was even using him? He wasn’t a bad guy by any means. Maybe they could actually have something beautiful together if she tried? Blake watched him beam at her over the rim of his tankard. She would have to try harder if she wanted the cat ears gone and a happy life to live. Much much harder. Blake steeled herself. 

“So Sun,” She leaned forward on the bar and batted her eyelashes at him, “Catch any big game today?” 

Sun blinked stupidly at the sudden change in tone. 

“Uhm yeah...yeah!” He perked up, “You should’ve seen the stag Neptune and I bagged this morning!” 

He launched into a long-winded epic about how he and Neptune had been holed up in a tree together for hours with nothing but rats and worthless game wandering by. When suddenly, Neptune spotted a stag so huge he swore it could feed the entire town for a month. Blake decided,  _ this  _ was worse than forcing herself to flirt with Sun. She had to ooh and ahh at the right times while he dragged out his tale that was clearly exaggerated for her sake. As someone who read and fixed books for a living, she knew a plot hole when she heard one. 

While Sun blabbed on, Blake found herself subtly comparing him to Yang. 

Yang’s eyes were a much more beautiful shade, her hair was blonder and she had more defined muscles than Sun. His voice was rough like sandpaper while Yang’s was soft and silky, so gentle when it could be and the right amount of grit when called for. She tried shaking herself away from those thoughts but they kept creeping back the longer Sun spoke. 

She knew Yang was watching closely which made things even worse. How was she supposed to marry Sun when just sitting next to him made her feel so uncomfortable that it almost made her shake. 

“That stag ended up being no match for my bow,” He said, making a motion like shooting an arrow with his hands, “Sold it for almost ninety gold pieces when we got back.” 

“Wow that’s so amazing,” Blake said stiffly, trying so hard to be interested, “You’re an amazing hunter.” 

Sun looked pleased with himself, “Well you know, it’s an honest living.” 

There was a gentle touch. Not from Yang, but from Sun who had put his hand over Blake’s knee. She immediately stiffened, adrenaline went coursing through her body and she suddenly found herself unable to speak. Warning bells and alarms were coursing through her head and she felt the fight or flight response quickly bubbling up in her throat. 

Sun was smiling, clearly oblivious to Blake becoming stone, his thumb was rubbing back and forth. She knew it wasn’t a malicious touch but the way her body was reacting it felt like he was strangling her. 

Suddenly the tavern door burst open and both of them jumped. Sun took his hand off of Blake’s knee like it had been on fire. 

“Blake!”

It was Ghira, Blake’s father. He had a big grin plastered on his face as he walked over to the bar.

“Dad!” Blake gave him a big hug, more grateful than anything to have something distract her from the way Sun had made her freeze up. Maybe it was his father’s instinct or maybe he could feel the tension in Blake’s body but Ghira immediately pulled her back and studied her face. 

“Are you alright Blake?” He asked, shooting a glare over to Sun who looked down guiltily in his tankard. 

“I’m fine!” She lied breathlessly, “I’m just really glad to see you!” 

“Well you don’t come to see us nearly as often as you should!” Ghira boomed in his deep voice, “Why don’t you sit down and have a drink? The new captain of the guard is supposed to stop by any minute.” 

Sun looked up hopefully.

Blake felt another nudge from Yang. 

“That would be great, Dad.” Blake took her seat again, giving Sun a forced smile that she hoped didn’t appear as a grimace. 

“What can I get you dear?” Ghira asked from behind the bar, pulling out a clean mug. 

“Try the Redwood Ale!” Sun chimed in, raising his own mug. 

“Uhm I think I’ll just have some tea.” Blake said, “Do you have any from Menagerie?” 

Her father chuckled, reaching down and pulling out a glass jar full of loose tea leaves. 

“You know we always have tea from home.” 

He left to go put on a kettle of hot water and Blake was alone with Sun again. He seemed to know that he was flailing since he didn’t immediately speak. They sat in silence for a few moments but no harsh whisper or nudge came from Yang. Blake wondered if she had gotten bored and left. 

“Ruby for the last time I don’t eat sweets.” a noble voice floated into the tavern from outside and suddenly the doors burst open again. Blake gladly recognized Ruby but the woman she was with was a stranger. She had the whitest hair Blake had ever seen and clearly held herself with dignity. Her military uniform was pressed and didn’t have a single wrinkle or crease. 

She eyed Blake but didn’t say anything since Ruby was speaking a million words a second next to her, also not having noticed Blake sitting at the bar. 

“Captain Schnee!” Ghira boomed from behind the bar, having emerged with the hot water for Blake’s tea, “Come in come in!” 

“Good evening Mr. Belladonna.” She said in her dignified voice, “Please call me Weiss, there’s no need to be formal here.” 

“Oh please,” Ruby snorted playfully, “There’s no need to be formal with her at all.” 

“I am the captain of the guard, Ruby!” Weiss snapped, “I could have you executed within the hour!” 

Ruby snorted again at Weiss’ empty threat, “You’ve been captain for a day oh, I’m so scared.” 

She glared harshly at Ruby but didn’t follow through with her threat. Blake forgot that Vale’s old guard captain had finally been booted out after getting involved in one too many drunken brawls after his duty. Weiss looked like the perfect no-nonsense leader that the town needed. Corruption and misconduct was rampant among the guards and even the old captain himself was clearly accepting money under the table. Weiss looked like the type to punish anyone that kicked dirt on her boots by accident. 

“BLAKE!” Ruby had finally stopped talking long enough to realize who was sitting at the bar sipping tea. She burst over the length of the room impossibly fast and squeezed Blake so hard she almost dropped her cup. 

“It’s good to see you again so soon.” Blake wheezed, putting her drink down for safety. 

“I know!” Ruby was practically squealing in delight, “Oh Blake this is Weiss!” She gestured to the captain who had made her way across the bar. She looked even more intimidating up close. 

“Weiss Schnee,” She held out a white-gloved hand which Blake tentatively shook, afraid to get it dirty.

“I’m Sun Wukong!” He chimed in, mouth full of some kind of meat. Weiss’ lip curled and she nodded at him but didn’t offer to shake his hand. 

“Why are you meeting up with my father?” Blake asked curiously. Ghira was never one to get involved with the military despite their generous offers of money and land if he agreed to become an officer. He always turned it down. 

“Classified.” Weiss said curtly, “The only thing I can tell you is that your father is interested in an opportunity we’ve been offering a few of the local townsfolk.” 

“What kind of opportunity?”

“Do you not understand what classified means?” Weiss rolled her eyes, taking a seat at the bar next to Ruby. 

“I understand that my father has never been interested in joining the Vale guard.” Blake said hotly. 

“Now Blake, let’s not get hostile.” Ghira said, cutting into the conversation.

“It’s not related to the guard,” Weiss said back, “I’d watch that tone if I were you unless you’re planning on spending the night in prison.” 

Blake snorted and turned back towards her tea. Weiss definitely seemed like the type to throw someone in jail for mouthing off and she didn’t really want to take her chances in finding out. Her father wasn’t going to say yes either way. 

“I am interested in the opportunity,” Ghira said to Weiss, holding up a hand when Blake jumped up to protest, “Despite what my daughter says.”

“Dad!” Blake practically yelled, “You’ve always called the guard nothing but a bunch of thieving bodyguards.” He glared harshly down at her, effectively silencing her. Weiss didn’t seemed fazed by the exchange. She was still looking expectantly at Ghira. 

“If you have the papers I would be glad to sign them now.” He said, holding out his massive hand. Weiss reached into her coat pocket and pulled out a small envelope with the deep red wax seal of the guard pressed on the front. He slipped it easily into the coat pocket of his jacket. Blake watched in disbelief. 

It was so unlike her father to get involved in things like this and now he was accepting money under the table like it wasn’t morally corrupt. Weiss stood and smoothed out the front of her white pants. 

“Well I believe that concludes our business today Mr. Belladonna.” She said in her professional tone, giving Blake another side glance, “I look forward to seeing you.” 

“I’ll be there.” Ghira said. Weiss nodded and turned, “It was nice to meet you.” She said to Blake before motioning to Ruby. They exited the bar together.

“Now Blake,” Ghira said carefully, holding his hands up in surrender, “I know what this looks like but I promise it’s not.” 

“You’re just rolling over like the rest of them.” Blake muttered, taking the last few sips of her tea in silence. Sun stared down at his plate awkwardly, looking like he wanted to keep talking to Blake but the atmosphere was way too uncomfortable now. It was a small thing Blake felt thankful for. She didn’t think she had it in her to pretend to care what Sun was saying now that she was furious with her father. 

Ghira didn’t respond, instead he retreated to the back to clean some dirty plates and mugs. Blake was glad he was gone, she didn’t think she could hold her tongue for very long. She felt another gentle nudge in her back. Knowing it was Yang, Blake had to hold back her temper to keep from snapping at both of them to leave her for  _ just  _ a moment of quiet. 

It was time to go. Blake stood and noticed that Sun looked crestfallen at blowing his opportunity to get to know her. Honestly, she didn’t feel that badly about it. 

“Well it was nice talking to you,” She said with a polite tone that felt so forced Sun would have to be deaf not to hear it, “Happy hunting.” 

“Yeah,” He said into his ale, “Sorry about your dad Blake. My pop does the same thing.” 

That took her by surprise. Sun didn’t seem like the type of guy able to empathize easily with others. He was too goofy and aloof for that kind of emotional depth. 

“Thank you Sun.” She said sincerely, giving him a real smile before turning and exiting the bar. 

\---

Yang was waiting for her outside looking much less than pleased at the scene that happened moments ago. She had her arms crossed and her lilac eyes were narrowed in annoyance. 

“What in the gods was  _ that?”  _ She asked incredulously, pushing off the wall to follow Blake down the street, “I’ve seen dead fish that have more chemistry than you two!” 

Blake rounded on her, temper already irritated and ready to boil. 

“You tossed me to the wolves and left me!” She nearly shouted, “How the hell did you  _ expect  _ things to go?” 

“Better than that at least!” Yang rolled her eyes as they walked, “I mean come on Blake I know you can do better.” 

“You have to let it happen naturally,” Blake said, pinching the bridge of her nose. It was like trying to explain love to an impatient child, “All you’ve done now is made things worse.” 

That finally made Yang shut up. 

Good. Blake wanted Yang to feel bad for forcing her into such an uncomfortable scenario. Yang was being too aggressive about everything and it was only going to make the process that much more difficult and she needed to see that. 

They walked in silence through the woods as the sun began to set, Yang following quietly behind Blake. She seemed to be lost in thought. 

They followed the small stone path that lead to Blake’s cottage still not saying a word. It wasn’t awkward it was just heavy. Blake didn’t like it. She almost wanted Yang to start cracking jokes like she usually did when they walked. The sun was rapidly dipping behind the trees when they finally reached the gate outside of Blake’s garden. They stood there. 

“So uh,” Yang looked troubled, “I’m sorry about today. You’re right I only make things worse by trying to force it.” 

“I know you’re eager but you’ve asked something huge of me.” Blake said, feeling a fatigue headache begin to pound behind her eyes, “What’s the rush anyway.” 

Now Yang looked away at the ground, clearly thinking about how she was going to answer that question. She had never really given Blake a straight answer why it needed to be so soon. 

“Look I just…” She trailed off, “I just have something to prove is all and the sooner I can do that the better.” 

“Why don’t you just go get a baby from the orphanage?” Blake asked. It seemed like the most logical solution. 

“Can’t,” She said gruffly, “That’s not how the parameters of the contract works.” Yang dug around in her travel bag for a few moments. She pulled out a small corked bottle full of chunky, gold liquid. She shook it a couple times and the liquid lit up brilliantly. 

“Wow,” Blake breathed, the gold light reflecting off of Yang’s face was gorgeous. 

“It’s a good luck charm.” Yang said, “It’s my way of saying sorry for today. They’re super rare and very hard to make so, don’t lose it.” 

Blake took the charm in her hands, admiring the fading light in awe. She shook it again and the liquid ignited once again. 

“Shake it whenever you need a little boost of luck.” Yang said with a gentle smile, “You need it more than me now.” 

**Author's Note:**

> As always thank you for reading and leave a comment if you enjoyed.   
You can follow me on tumblr @ gummy-the-ghost.tumblr.com


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